Rehabilitation unit

ABSTRACT

A rehabilitation unit for providing rehabilitation support to a plurality of firefighters attending an incident scene. The system comprising a transportable self-supporting frame that can be configured for use in a designated rehabilitation area on scene and a plurality of firefighter stations attached to the frame. Each firefighter station comprising a seating surface, a breathing apparatus holder and a protective equipment holder. The rehabilitation unit can be quickly, easily and efficiently established when a rehabilitation area is needed. The rehabilitation unit can also be configured for ease of transportation to and from the incident scene by folding or storing various components of the rehabilitation unit.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of fire service equipment. Inparticular, to a rehabilitation unit.

BACKGROUND

A rehabilitation protocol is part of the standard operating proceduresfor many fire services. The rehabilitation protocol typically providesfor firefighters involved in operations at an incident scene to berotated through a rehabilitation area based on criteria such as, forexample, a “two-cylinder rule” wherein a firefighter is required toattend the rehabilitation area after a second air cylinder has beenexhausted. The reasons for attending the rehabilitation area includecontrolling the pace of physical activity (by providing rest periods),avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures, re-hydration andmedical evaluation.

The rehabilitation area is located outside of the fire zone and awayfrom the exhaust fumes where protective clothing and equipment can besafely removed. Typically, the rehabilitation area includes supplies ofwater (or other liquids) and full air cylinders. The rehabilitation areacan also provide shelter from precipitation, wind and sun. While in therehabilitation area firefighters can be evaluated by paramedical staffand receive minor treatment if required.

Typical rehabilitation areas can take many forms depending on the sizeand severity of incident and on the scope and duration of operations. Inone example, the rehabilitation area can be a tarp that is laid out onthe ground or indoors to delineate the area in which the firefighterscan rest, cool down, re-hydrate and replenish and in which they canlay-out their equipment and change their air cylinders. In some casesthe rehabilitation area can be an ad hoc area in the vicinity of thefirefighting equipment (i.e. vehicles) in which the firefighterscongregate during rehabilitation. In these examples the rehabilitationarea offers little in the way of amenities to facilitate therehabilitation process with firefighters sitting on the ground or onvehicle bumpers and simply laying out their equipment on the ground orhanging it from whatever perch is available.

In a more elaborate, and less common, form the rehabilitation area cancomprise a mobile rehabilitation vehicle specifically equipped for therehabilitation function. Such vehicles are not commonly used as they arebeyond the budgets of many fire services and even where they do exist,would typically only be deployed to incidents of a magnitude thatwarrants the logistic necessary for establishing a vehicle basedrehabilitation area on scene.

What is needed is a relatively low cost, easy to deploy system thatprovides amenities that facilitates the rehabilitation of firefightersattending an incident scene.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A rehabilitation unit for providing rehabilitation support to aplurality of firefighters attending an incident scene. Therehabilitation unit comprising a transportable self-supporting framethat can be configured for use in a designated rehabilitation area onscene and a plurality of firefighter stations attached to the frame.Each firefighter station comprising a seating surface, a breathingapparatus holder and a protective equipment holder.

The rehabilitation unit can be quickly, easily and efficientlyestablished when a rehabilitation area is needed. The rehabilitationunit can be set-up outdoors (e.g. in a parking lot, driveway or lawn) orindoors (e.g. in a lobby, on an upper floor or in an industrialbuilding). The rehabilitation unit can also be configured for ease oftransportation to and from the incident scene by folding or storingvarious components of the rehabilitation unit.

The rehabilitation unit facilitates dressing down of firefightersattending the rehabilitation area and effective stowing (e.g. byhanging) of their protective equipment. The rehabilitation unit cancontribute to the general organization of an incident scene byfacilitating early identification and establishment of a rehabilitationarea and by promoting the keeping together of fire crews duringrehabilitation.

One exemplary embodiment can provide a rehabilitation unit for providingrehabilitation support to a plurality of firefighters comprising: aself-supporting frame; and a plurality of firefighter stations attachedto the self-supporting frame each having: a seating surface; a breathingapparatus holder; and a protective equipment holder area; wherein use ofone of the plurality of firefighter stations by one of the firefightersfacilitates the rehabilitation of the firefighter.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art or science to which it pertainsupon review of the following description of specific embodiments of theinvention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in conjunction with drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of arehabilitation unit as it appears in use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of arehabilitation unit as it appears when configured for transportation.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a rehabilitation unitas it appears when configured for transportation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of arehabilitation unit 100 as it appears in use. The rehabilitation unit100 comprises a self-supporting frame 110 and three firefighter stations120 attached to the frame 110. Each firefighter station 120 comprises aseating surface 122, a breathing apparatus holder 124 and a protectiveequipment holder 126.

The frame 110 comprises three support members 112 pivotally connected atone end such at they can form a tripod. The other ends of the supportmembers 112 can be connected to each other using a chain, cable orsimilar mechanism to limit the spreading apart of support members 112where they form the base of the tripod. Each of the firefighter stations120 is attached to one of three support members 112. The support members112 can, for example, be formed from tubular stock having a round,square, rectangular or other cross-sectional profile. Each supportmember can optionally be equipped with a leveling mechanism 114 such as,for example, a telescopic foot assembly for facilitating leveling of therehabilitation unit 100 when it is deployed on an even surface. In analternative embodiment the leveling mechanism 114 can comprise a screwand nut assembly or other similar mechanisms for changing the effectivelength of the support member. Each support member can optionallycomprise a telescopic section 116 for facilitating transport of therehabilitation unit 100 by allowing the support members 112 to beshortened when the system is configured for transportation. In a furtheralternate embodiment, the leveling mechanism 114 and the telescopicsection 116 can be combined to facilitate both leveling andtransportation of the rehabilitation unit 100.

The embodiment of the rehabilitation unit 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 isadapted to concurrent use by a three-person fire crew. In an alternativeembodiment (not illustrated), the frame 110 can comprise three or moresupport members 112 that can form a self-supporting structure havingcorrespondingly three or more firefighter stations 120, each attached toa support member 112, that can accommodate larger fire crews.

The seating surface 122 provides a place for the firefighter to sitwhile resting, cooling down, re-hydrating and replenishing. The seatingsurface 122 is preferably arranged in the firefighter station to provideeasy access by the firefighter and also to allow a para-medical staffmember to easily interact with the seated firefighter during a medicalevaluation. The seating surface 122 can be foldable or storable in orderto facilitate transportation and storage of the rehabilitation unit 100.Optionally the seating surface 122 can include a pair of armrests 128positioned on opposite sides of the seating surface 122. The armrests128 can be foldable or storable in order to facilitate transportationand storage of the rehabilitation unit 100.

The breathing apparatus holder 124 provides for the breathing apparatusto be held in place so that if is easily accessible by the firefighteror other support personnel while also not obstructing access to thefirefighter station or presenting a trip hazard to personnel moving inthe vicinity of the rehabilitation area. The breathing apparatus holder124 can be adapted to holding commonly used breathing apparatus such as,for example, air bottles and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).The breathing apparatus holder 124 can be used to hold either a spentbreathing apparatus or a fresh replacement breathing apparatus. Thebreathing apparatus holder 124 can be foldable or storable in order tofacilitate transportation and storage of the rehabilitation unit 100.

The protective equipment holder 126 provides for supporting thefirefighter's protective equipment off of the ground and keeping themorganized. The protective equipment can include, for example, a jacket,a helmet, gloves, a flashlight and tools. The protective equipmentholder 126 can keep these items organized so they are easily located,keeps them off of the ground so that they do not present a trip hazard,so that they can more effectively dried if required, reduces thepotential for damage to the equipment and also mitigates potentialcontamination and cross-contamination of the protective equipment. Theprotective equipment holder 126 can comprises, for example, a pluralityof hooks or similar holding mechanisms that can be adapted to holding arange of protective equipment of various sizes, shapes and weights. Theprotective equipment holder 126 can optionally comprise a mesh, fabricor similar pliable surface 130, suspended between the support members112, that is adapted to holding lightweight pieces of protectiveequipment such as gloves and balaclavas. The protective equipment holder126 can be foldable or storable in order to facilitate transportationand storage of the rehabilitation unit 100.

In an alternative embodiment the firefighter stations 120 can each beoptional equipped with a core-cooling device 132 for promoting rapidlowering of a firefighters core body temperature. The core-coolingdevice 132 can, for example, comprise a mechanism, such as a tray,incorporated into armrests 128 for holding a cooling source, such as anice pack or a cold water bladder, for ease of contact with the each ofthe forearms of a firefighter seated on the seating surface 122.

The rehabilitation unit 100 can optionally include a crew identificationsign 134 connected to the frame 110 to assist the fire crew and othersin locating the rehabilitation area and in promoting generalorganization of the incident scene. The rehabilitation unit can also beoptionally equipped with a lighting fixture 136 connected to the frame110. The lighting fixture 136 can be used to assist in locating therehabilitation area or to provide ambient lighting in the rehabilitationarea.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a perspective view and a top view, respectively, of anexemplary embodiment of a rehabilitation unit 100 as it appears whenconfigured for transportation. The rehabilitation unit 100 can beconfigured for transportation by collapsing the tripod and bringing thesupport members 112 into close proximity where they can be secured.Support members 112 equipped with leveling mechanisms 114 or telescopicsections 116 can be shortened. Transportation can be further facilitatedby folding or storing any of seating surfaces 122, armrests 128,breathing apparatus holders 124 and protective equipment holders 126that can be so configured. When configured for transportation therehabilitation unit 100 can be stored on a fire engine or similarvehicle for transportation to and from the incident scene.

The rehabilitation unit 100 as described above provides a relatively lowcost, easy to deploy system that provides amenities that facilitates therehabilitation of firefighters attending an incident scene. Therehabilitation unit 100 can also be used as a suit-up station, forexample, in a staging area at a hazardous material incident scene.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that numerousmodifications and departures from the specific embodiments describedherein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

1. A rehabilitation unit for providing rehabilitation support to a plurality of firefighters comprising: a self-supporting frame; and a plurality of firefighter stations attached to the self-supporting frame each having: a seating surface; a breathing apparatus holder; and a protective equipment holder; wherein use of one of the plurality of firefighter stations by one of the firefighters facilitates the rehabilitation of the firefighter.
 2. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, the self-supporting frame further comprising three support members pivotally connected to each other at one end; and wherein the self-supporting frame is configurable into an in-use configuration with the non-pivotally connected ends of the support members spaced apart to form a tripod, and into a transportation configuration with the three support members moved into close proximity.
 3. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, the self-supporting frame further comprising three or more support members pivotally connected to each other at one end; and wherein the self-supporting frame is configurable into an in-use configuration with the non-connected ends of the support members spaced apart to form a self-supporting structure, and into a transportation configuration with the three or more support members moved into close proximity.
 4. The rehabilitation unit of claim 3, each support member further comprising a leveling mechanism that can change the effective length of the support member.
 5. The rehabilitation unit of claim 3, each support member further comprising a telescopic section that provides for the support members to be shortened when the self-supporting frame is configured into the transportation configuration.
 6. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, each seating surface further comprising a pair of armrests positioned on opposite sides of the seating surface.
 7. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, each firefighter station further comprising a core-cooling device.
 8. The rehabilitation unit of claim 7, the core-cooling device further comprising a pair of cooling sources and a mechanism in each of a pair of armrests for holding one of the pair of cooling sources; wherein a firefighter seated on the seating surface can put his forearms in contact with the cooling sources.
 9. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, the protective equipment holder further comprising a plurality of hooks adapted to holding protective equipment of various sizes, shapes and weights.
 10. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, the protective equipment holder further comprising a pliable surface suspended between the support members.
 11. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, further comprising a crew identification sign connected to the self-supporting frame.
 12. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, further comprising a lighting fixture connected to the self-supporting frame.
 13. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, wherein each of the seating surfaces is configurable into an in-use configuration and a transportation configuration with the seating surface in close proximity to the self-supporting frame.
 14. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, wherein each of the breathing apparatus holders is configurable into an in-use configuration and a transportation configuration with the breathing apparatus holders in close proximity to the self-supporting frame.
 15. The rehabilitation unit of claim 1, wherein each of the protective equipment holders is configurable into an in-use configuration and a transportation configuration with the protective equipment holders in close proximity to the self-supporting frame. 